CHICAGO — At 4:26 p.m. Central time Thursday, most of the guys who will try to keep Peyton Manning out of harm's way in the Broncos' preseason opener, his offensive linemen, were on the Denver sideline, staring at the tarp that still covered the playing surface inside Soldier Field.

Manning's appearance had to wait, however, as the evening's guest of honor didn't find his way out of the Broncos' locker room until after a vigorous afternoon downpour had passed. Stadium workers didn't begin taking the tarp up until 5:45 p.m. Chicago time and didn't have the side of the field the Broncos were going to use for warm-ups cleared until almost 6:30 Central time.

But with that, easily the most anticipated preseason debut in the league was in the works.

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Scouts from 14 NFL teams and two Indianapolis television stations are among the interested spectators as Manning will take the field in a game for the first time since Jan. 8, 2011.

That night was a 17-16 playoff loss to the Jets. Thursday night was not nearly so meaningful in the standings, but as a personal hurdle for Manning. He missed the 2011 season after neck surgeries, but now takes a huge step with a first-quarter cameo.

"He's seen a lot in his career, but as a player, I think he will be excited about it all," Broncos wide receiver Andre Caldwell said earlier this week. "That's a long time to wait to get back on the field."

It will be the first time the Broncos have played a preseason game in Chicago since 1975. The two teams faced each other in the 2002 and 2003 preseasons at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill., during renovations of Soldier Field.

Rockies relief pitcher John Axford, who hasn't pitched for the team since last Wednesday, was forced to leave spring training camp after his 2-year-old son was bit by a rattlesnake twice in his right foot.

One-day event to run slide down University HillIt's not quite the alternative mode of transportation that Boulder's used to, but, for one day this summer, residents will be able to traverse several city blocks atop inflatable tubes.

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